Tuning peg for musical instruments



Sept. 22, 1925.

Filed Apri1'14. 1923 Patented Sept. 22, 19.25.

UNTED STATES I l,554,77ll

FTENT OFFICE.

HAR-RY W. WEYMANN, 2? PHILrDLFI'IA, EENNSYLViIIIA, .ASSIGNOR TO H. A. WEY- IIANN @c SON, ENC., OF EHLAIJELPI'HA, ENNSYLVANIA, A CO'REORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

TUNNG PEG EUR, ETUSICAL NSTRUMENTS.

Application filed April 14. 1923,l Serial No. 62-002.

T 0 all 107mm t may concern Be it known that l, Hanny W. WTEYMANN, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Philadelphia7 in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in a Tuning Peg for Musical instruments, ot which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates to new and useitul improvements in a tuning peg for musical instruments, and has :tor its prin'iary object to construct a device of this character which is particularly adapted tor use stringed musical instruments of the banjo type. wherein the key or linger piece may be rotated at one speed and the tuning peg proper rotated at a slower speed through the medium of a suitable mechanism actuated by Jthe key.

Another object ont the invention is to provide for varying the speed ol' rotation between a key or linger piece and a tuning peg so constructed that said key and tuning peg are in direct endwise alignment so that the ordinary well known operation and appearance of device oit this character will remain unchanged.

A further object oit the invention is to provide a tuning peg, an operating peg or finger piece in endwise alignment therewith and a train of gears for transmitting motion from the key to the tuning peg in such manner that the rotation ot the tuning peg will be at a less speed than the rotation of the key.

A still further objectV ot the invention is to provide a unique mounting for the structure above mentioned.

lith these ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination o relements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims. K

In order that those skilled in the art to which this appertains7 may understand how to make and use the same, l will describe its construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanying` drawing forming a part oit this application, in which: Y

Fig. 1, is a rear 'face view o'l'l the outer end or' a musical instrument neck and head piece showing my invention applied thereto with one of the keys and the outer plate removed to illustrate demils oit construction .ont the invention.

Fig. 2, is a side elevation or edge view thereof with a portion broken away and shown in section to illustrate the location and arrangement of one otl the devices in the head piece.

Fig. 3, is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view ot one ol*l the tuning pegs removed trom the instrument.

ln carrying out my invention as here embodied, 2 represents the neck of a stringed musical instrument ot' the banjotype from which projects the head piece 8 and in the back et this head piece are formed a number of vrecesses 4 each communicating 'with a hole 5 through the front of the head piece.

rlhese recesses are to receive the tuning peg structure which includes two parallel spaced plates 6 and 7, the 'former being termed the inner plate and the latter the outer plate. The outer plate is of greater length than the inner plate, or in other words, has a lug 8 at each end projecting over the woodwork ot the head piece beyond the ends of the recesses in order that said plates may be secured to the head piece by means of suitable attaching devices 9 such as screws or their equivalent. The ltwo plates are held together but in spaced relation by means of suitable fastening devices' 10.

Between the plates is mounted a tuning peg gear 11 carrying the tuning peg V12 which is preferably 'formed as an integral part of the gear and projects through a hole 13 .in the inner plate and one of the holes 5 in the front tace ot the head piece. Pron jecting from the 'face ot the gear 11 opposite that from which' the tuning peg extends but in endwise alignment with said tuning peg is a trunnion 14 preferably formed integral with the gear 11 and this trunnion is adapted to seat in a recess 15 in the center of the key pinion 16 which is also mounted between the plates 6 and '7. This pinion preferably has a flange 17 which bears against the inner tace ol the outer plate' and is further provided with a polygonal hub 18 projecting through a hole 19 in the outer plate 7. rl`he hub 18 is adapted to register with a similarly shaped recess 20 in the key base 21 but said recess is ot greater depth than the length of the hub to permit the parts to be dru wn toward each other in order that the key base and vpinion liange may be forced into close Contact on opposite faces of the plate 7 for adding friction between these parts.

A key or linger piece 22 coacts with the key base 21 and has a screw 23 passing through the linger piece of the key and the key base and threaded into the hub 18 for fastening the parts together.

An intermediate gear 2st and pinion 25 are arranged for rotation in unison and are preferably formed integral with oppositely projecting integral trunnions 26 and 27 for mounting in the outer' and inner plates 7 and 6 respectively. The intern'iediate gear 241 meshes with the key pinion 16 while the intermediate pinion 25 meshes with the timing peg gear 11 so that as the key 22 is rotated motion will be transmitted to the tuning peg through the pinion 16, gear 2&1, pinion 25 and gear 11. By providing the key pinion 16 with the flange 17 and permitting the intermediate gear 2a to engage said flange while the intermediate pinion 25 rests against the inner plate it permits the parts to be adjusted without binding upon the intermediate gear or pinion and eliminating the necessity of great accuracy in the parts.

In assembling this device the timing peg 12 is inserted in the hole 13 in the plate 6 and then the trunnion 27 of the interniediate gear vpinion inserted in a hole in the same plate after which the key pinion 16 and the key are fastened to the outer plate 7 and when this is done the outer plate 7 may be placed over the parts on the inner plate 6 until the recess 15 registers with the trimnion 14 and the trunnion 26 registers with a hole in said outer plate. IVhen the parts are in these positions the two plates may be fastened together by attaching or fastening devices 10. The complete structure being assembled it may then be placed in one of the recesses d with the projecting ends or lugs 8 of the outer plate overlying the solid part of the head piece beyond the recess and by anchoring suitable fastening devices such a's screws 9 in the head piece the timing peg structure will be held in place.

It will be particularly noted that such a structure provides for the tuning peg proper 12 and the key or finger piece 22 being in direct endwise alignment so that to the casual observer the appearance is identical with that of the ordinary timing peg and with the skilled musician both the key and tuning peg are in the saine places as he is accustomed to use them. The reduction in speed of rotation between the timing peg 12 and its key permits the strings to be very accurately tuned and as the reduction here shown is in the ratio of four to one even though the key is turned one completerei'olution the tuning peg will be rotated but a quarter of a turn. In the ordinary tuning peg it sometimes happens that due to adhesion an extra amount of power is rcquired to start the key and before the movement can be stopped the string will have been either tightened or loosened too much. rIlhis disadvantage Yis entirely overcome by the structure herein described while providing very accurate timing of the string,

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction as herein shown as these may be varied within the limits of the appended claims without departing freir the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is:

1. The combination with a head piece of a stringed musical instrument having a recess in the rear thereof and a hole passing through the front and communicating with the recess, of a pair of parallel plates held in spaced relation, one of said plates being housed in the recess and portions of the other plate projecting over the rear face of the headpiece beyond the recess boundary, means to attach the outer plate to the headpiece, a train of gears between the plates, a timing peg carried by one of the gears and projecting through the hole in the headpiece, and a key in endwise alignment with the timing peg and carried by another ol said gears whereby motion may be transmitted from the key to the timing peg at a reduced ratio.

2. .A tuning peg structure comprising al pair of plates, a key pinion located between said plates, a polygonal hub carried by said pinion and projecting through one of the plates, a key, means for securing said key to the hub of the key pinion, said key pinion having a recess therein opposite the hub, an integral intermediate gear and pinion located between the plates and so located that the gear meshes with the key pinion, oppositely disposed trunnions on said interniediate gear and pinion for journalling the same in the plates, a timing peg gear located between the plates concentric with the key pinion and meshing with the intermediate pinion, a trunnion on the peg gear registering with the recess in the key pinion` a tuning peg carried by the peg gear and projecting through the other plate, said timing peg being in direct alignment with the key and means for securing the plates in spaced relation to hold the parts in their respective positions.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

HARRY WT. VVEYMANN. 

